The 'By Name List,' a tool launched by the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board, aims to track and support individuals and families looking for housing.
It's seeing some early success.
“We really didn’t have a handle on what was happening," said board chair Mark King.
The BNL works to support individuals and families moving in and out of homelessness, connecting them to the most appropriate housing, services and support systems available.
Community service partners involved include the AIDS Committee of North Bay, Canadian Mental Health Association of North Bay and District, the Indigenous Friendship Centre and Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing (L.I.P.I)
"We can plan a lot better if we’re all singing off the same song sheet," said L.I.P.I executive director Lana Mitchell.
"It allows people to not fall through the cracks. If you talk to every agency in town, they’ll say we worked with … 200 families or households. But is it the same 200 families that the Crisis Centre worked with, the CHMA or over here?”
A homeless count completed in October found 169 people requested to be added to the BNL and start the process of matching them to housing and support services.
Since that time, the list has risen to 193 people. To date, nearly 20 per cent of those on the list have been housed.
“To say that we’ve actually been successful in housing 20 per cent of that list speaks to the program and how it works because many, many people don’t know how to navigate through the system," said King.
Mitchell said the BNL will help community agency partners be on the same page when it comes to addressing a homeless person's needs.
“If you’ve been homeless five times in the past year, we’re missing the boat somewhere," she said.
"We either don’t have the supports you need or do you have mental health issues we’re not addressing? We can start tracking those things now and putting money where it needs to be.”
Once housed, those on the list still receive support from the local agencies to help them retain housing. They’re tracked for up to a year to ensure the help they have received will keep them from becoming homeless again.
